Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



H: F. WHEELER.

Breech-Loading Fire-Arm. V g

Patented Oct. 31, L865 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F, WHEELER, OF BOSTON}, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADIN'G FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 50,760, dated October 31, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY F. WHEELER, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Breech-Loading Fire-Arm; and I do hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawings,which accompany and form part of this specification, is a description of my invention sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to practice it.

This improvement relates to the construction of breech-loading fire-arms, the particular object of the invention being the simplification and perfection of a single barreled breech-loading pistol in its adaptation to the use of capped metallic cartridges.

The barrel is hung upon a basepin extendin g from the face of the breech-block, the barrel having a rotative movement upon the pin to bring the breech-chamber into position for loading, and in connection with this construction provision in made whereby, by sliding the barrel longitudinally upon the pin after firing and turning the barrel upon the pin, the cartridge-shell is expelled from the barrel. It is in this provision for expelling the cartridge by the rotative and longitudinal movements of the barrel upon the base-pin that the invention consists.

The drawings represent a pistol embody ing the invention, Figure 1 showing an elevation of the arm, the parts being in position for firing; Fig. 2, an elevation showing the position of the barrel when slid away from the stock for loading. Fig. 3 is a view of the parts in this latter position looking at the under side of the stock. Fig. 4 is an end view of the breech-block or stock; Fig. 5, a view of the breech end of the barrel; Fig. 6, a rearend view of the arm, with the parts in position for loading.

a denotes the stock or handle; I), the barrel.

There being nothing new in the mechanism which relates directly to the firing, such mechamism is not particularly shown and need not be described.

The breech end of the barrel has an extension, 0, which is bored out for the reception of a cylindrical base-pin, d, fixed to and projecting from the face of the breech or recoil block 0, the barrel turning on this pin to bring it into a position at right angles to that it occupies when ready for firing, as seen in Fig. 6, and by red lines in Fig. 1, and also sliding on said pin when so turned to carry it into the position shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 6, for the purpose of expelling the shell of the exploded cartridge and allowing a fresh cartridge to be inserted in the breech end of the barrel.

The pin d is provided with an enlargement, f, against the face of the breech-block, and this enlargement has a lip or flange, g, which fits into a recess, h, in the face of the extension 0.

The end of the barrel is recessed for reception of the cap of the cartridge, as seen by dotted lines in Fig. 3. In the sliding movement of the barrel upon the base-pin d it is guided by a slot, t, made lengthwise in the surface of the pin, and a screw-pin, k, extending through from the side of the base-piece d, and at its rear end this slot is extended laterally upon the surface of the pin sufficiently to allow of the turning movement of the barrel. The cartridge being inserted in the breech of the barrel, when the barrel has been turned and slid out on its pin, if the barrel be slid back without turning the projecting edge of the cartridge-cap will strike the lip g. The pin (1 is therefore cut away as seen at l, and a niche, m, is made in the lip g. The slot 1, enables the barrel to be turned slightly when the cartridge-cap reaches the lip g, and this brings the lower edge of the cartridge-cap in line with the niche m, allowing the cartridgecap to slip by said lip and the barrel to be moved up against the breech-block. The barrel can then be turned to bring the parts in position for firing, a tongue and a groove upon the breech-block, fitting corresponding parts on the barrel, preventing longitudinal movement or separation of barrel and stock, and a spring-latch,n,preventing the rotation ofeither with respect to the other. The parts being in this condition, the piece is ready for firing, after which (the hammer being carried back to halfcock and the spring-latch retracted) the barrel is turned on its pin to a right-angular position, as seen by the red lines in Fig. l. The projecting edge of the cartridge-shell is now behind the lip g, and when the barrel is slid out on the pin 01 the lip 9 holds the said shell to the breech-block until the barrel has been projected beyond it, when it will, ofcourse, fall from the arm, leaving the barrel read y and in position for reloading. It will be obvious that the cartridge can be withdrawn in the same manner Without firing when desirable.

The pistol constructed and operating as described makes a very cheap, simple, and effective arm, easily loaded and freed from the cartridge-shell, and not liable to get out of order or to accidental discharge.

I claim--' The construction of breech-loading fire-arms by which the cartridge-shell is expelled by a combined rotative andlongitudiual movement of the barrel upon the base-pin, substantially as set forth.

In witness I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of May, A. D. 1865.

H. F. WHEELER.

Witnesses FRANCIS GOULD, W. B. GLEASON. 

